(a) The judicial nominating commission shall act as an advisory body to the city council and shall:
(1) recommend nominees to serve as full- time and associate governmental judges;
(2) make reports and recommendations to the city council ad hoc judicial nominations committee on the status of the selection process for municipal judges;
(3) review and make recommendations to the city council ad hoc judicial nominations committee on the salary structure for municipal judges, including evaluating the feasibility of a merit pay plan;
(4) make recommendations to the city council concerning the selection, removal, and pay of administrative law judges in accordance with Article XXVII, Chapter 2 of this code; and
(5) perform other duties assigned by the city council.
(b) The ad hoc judicial nominations committee of the city council shall provide to the judicial nominating commission minimum qualifications and evaluation guidelines for assessing applicants for a vacancy in the office of municipal judge and a time schedule for recommending nominees. The guidelines must include appropriate goals for achieving sufficient racial, ethnic, and gender diversity within the municipal court of record. Each associate and full-time municipal judge, including the administrative municipal judge, shall reside in the city of Dallas within four months after the date of appointment and throughout his or her term as a municipal judge for the city of Dallas.
(c) When there is a vacancy in the office of full- time or associate municipal judge (including a vacancy created by the expiration of a judge’s term), the director of human resources shall receive applications, which shall be forwarded to the judicial nominating commission through its chair. The commission shall review the applications and resumes, research applicant qualifications, and conduct interviews; except that if a vacancy occurs within 120 days after the appointment of any full-time or associate municipal judge, for which the commission conducted interviews, the commission is not required to conduct additional interviews but may, in its discretion, recommend nominees to fill the new vacancy from applicants who were interviewed for any municipal judge position that was filled within the preceding 120 days. The commission may also, by a two-thirds vote, waive the interview requirement for any person who has completed at least eight consecutive years of continuous service as a full-time municipal judge for the city when that person applies for a position as an associate municipal judge. If in the opinion of the commission, none of the applicants for a municipal judge position meets minimum qualifications established by the city council ad hoc judicial nominations committee, the commission may search for and interview additional applicants.
(d) After deliberation, the judicial nominating commission shall recommend to the city council ad hoc judicial nominations committee a number of nominees equal to 150 percent of the number of vacancies in the office of full-time or associate municipal judge, rounded up to whole numbers. The nominees must be divided into two groups, one for full-time judges and one for associate judges, with the members of each group being ranked in the order of preference by the judicial nominating commission, with Number 1 being the highest ranking. If the number of applicants for all of the vacant municipal judge positions is less than the number of nominees required by this subsection to be recommended to the ad hoc judicial nominations committee, then the commission may, in its discretion, either recommend any persons who have applied or seek additional candidates.
(e) Upon receiving the judicial nominating commission’s recommendation of nominees, the city council ad hoc judicial nominations committee may interview one or more of the nominees or other applicants interviewed by the commission. If not satisfied with any number of the nominees or other applicants interviewed by the commission, the ad hoc judicial nominations committee may request that the commission recommend a specified number of additional nominees to the committee. After deliberation, the ad hoc judicial nominations committee shall forward to the full city council a number of nominees equal to 150 percent of the number of vacancies in the office of full-time or associate municipal judge, rounded up to whole numbers. The nominees must be divided into two groups, one for full-time judges and one for associate judges, with the members of each group being ranked in the order of preference by the ad hoc judicial nominations committee, with Number 1 being the highest ranking. Rankings of the nominees by the judicial nominating commission must also be forwarded to the full city council.
(f) Upon receiving the recommendation of nominees from the ad hoc judicial nominations committee, the city council shall select one nominee or other applicant interviewed by the ad hoc judicial nominations committee or the judicial nominating commission to fill each vacancy. Before making a selection, the city council may interview one or more of the nominees or other applicants interviewed by the ad hoc judicial nominations committee or the judicial nominating commission. If not satisfied with any number of these candidates, the city council may, in its discretion, fill whatever vacancies it desires and request that the judicial nominating commission recommend to the ad hoc judicial nominations committee a specified number of additional nominees for the unfilled vacancies.
(g) When there is a vacancy in the office of the administrative municipal judge (including a vacancy created by the expiration of the judge’s term), the judicial nominating commission shall conduct interviews of all interested full-time municipal judges of the city of Dallas, and all interested applicants for vacant full-time municipal judge positions, for the office of administrative municipal judge. After deliberation, the commission shall recommend to the full city council three nominees for the office of administrative municipal judge ranked in the order of preference, with Number 1 being the highest ranking. The city council shall interview the nominees and select one as the administrative municipal judge, or, if not satisfied with any of the nominees, the city council may reject all and request that the judicial nominating commission repeat the nominating process.
(h) The city manager shall provide staff to assist the judicial nominating commission in performing its duties and responsibilities.
(i) Nothing in this section affects the holdover status of an incumbent municipal judge under applicable city, state, and federal laws. (Ord. Nos. 21011; 21515; 21804; 22321; 22612; 23124; 24946; 25518; 25655; 26093; 29394)